Never Let You go
by Vahkhiin
Summary: I found you and now I know, that I will never let you go. CloudTifa


_Never Let You Go_

By Ash Ai

And admits all the good, bad and miscellaneous moments there is only one moment that not even death can erase, and that is the moment when you fall in love. Love is the feeling of connection between two people, when everything feels perfect and nothing imperfect. Love is when you feel your heart is skipping each beat and soaring up in the skies with nothing beneath you nor nothing above you. Love is when that one single moment feels like forever but in reality it is merely a few seconds. Love is like air, it's all around us and we can feel it but we can't see it.

He remembered that night they sat at the well together. He remembered her words, her pleas and promises. She didn't want him to go, didn't want him to leave. But he had to, because he wanted to be a better man. For her. He wanted to be the man for her, to be the boy who would run around the world just for her.

"_Hey, why don't we make a promise? Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind…. You come and save me, all right?" _

The man who could protect her from anything and everything that ever touches her wrongly. He wanted to be her night in shining armour. He wanted to be her best friend, wanted to give the world to her and show her just how much he adored her. Most of all, he wanted to show her that he would be a better man.

"_All right… I promise." _

He promised, promised her, but he broke his promise. He didn't save her, he only let her fall. He didn't keep her from danger; only, he left her to defend herself and worse, defend their family. Denzel and Marlene. Even though they weren't their kids, they were the closest they had as children of their own. Although he had never told her how he felt, he still thought of them silently as their kids.

He was to busy, to busy trying to earn a forgiveness that he completely forgot about her. Completely forgot about what she went through waiting for him. He never meant to hurt her, never meant to make her cry. He only wanted her to be happy, but now it was like she was anything but happy. He had been so fixated with the fact that he had let Aerith die that he forgot about the promise he made to _her_ a long time ago. He had failed the one thing that meant the world to him. The one thing that made his heart soars in the clouds and his heart complete.

After the battle with Kadaj, he realized, he had to tell her, had to let her know just how he felt, even if it meant giving up everything he had ever done. He wanted her to know, wanted her to feel it too. That was when he quit the Strife Delivery Service and decided to help her in the bar. Even if it meant having to serve tables filled with busty blondes, he had to, for her. He didn't mind, only because men that usually cast glimpses at her had stopped ever since he started working there. He would always stare at them, making sure that they knew not to mess around.

He was more of a body guard than a waiter at any rate. He went from serving drinks to managing the kitchen area with Denzel and Marlene. He left the serving to Tifa, she was much better at that than he was. He was always to quiet, to direct, whereas she would have casual chats and greetings that he could never think of.

During the days when Marlene and Denzel went to school, he would manage the kitchen alone, sometimes with her help. But most of the time he did the cooking.

"I didn't know you could cook," her voice was gentle just like her eyes that stared at him.

It was his first day of working in the kitchen and apparently, his so called best friend never knew what a chef he was. He could only smile at her and continue stirring the vegetables sitting in the pot. She walked over to him and stared into the sizzling pot filled with the nicest smelling stir fry she had ever smelt.

"You learn a thing or two when being a soldier," he replied to her.

She nodded and touched his shoulder, "Thank you," she said.

He stared at her questionably and parted his lips but she answered, "Thank you, for helping me manage the bar."

He could only smile at her and shake his head as he said, "I don't mind, this is better than being on the road."

"True," she answered and touched his hand genuinely before exiting the kitchen.

It would take him many more moons before he would have enough courage to tell her. It was in that touch that he knew she felt something too. It was gentle, loving, caring. He liked her, loved her more than anything he had ever loved.

As the days passed, he became more experimental with his cooking, creating new dishes, new flavours he had never even dreamt of before. Even she had raised her brows several times at the taste of his experimental foods. The menu had grown over the weeks that he had been there, things were really looking good for them. They were making more money, having more customers. He came to a conclusion that he enjoyed cooking more than being a soldier. He enjoyed being closer to her, and seeing her every morning, every night. He liked his new lifestyle.

It was her birthday on that Saturday, she would be 23, and that meant that he had quit Strife delivery service for over a year now, or close to it at any rate. He had bought her a necklace the day before, searching the various jewellery stores with Marlene. She was the perfect person to help him pick out jewellery for _her. _

"You like her, don't you?" Marlene asked him as they sat on the park bench as they ate their ice creams.

He stared down at the box in his hands and then looked up toward the sunset ahead of them. He didn't like _her, _he loved _her. _If only he could tell her. Then he decided to tell this girl.

"I don't like her, Marlene," he answered and the expression on the girls face grew dim, then he added, "I love her."

Marlene gasped, the ice cream melting its way on her hands as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"Really?" she asked, her smile beaming as she resumed licking her ice cream.

He laughed and nodded, "Yes, I do, I just don't know how to tell her."

Her expression grew mysterious, almost as though as if she was plotting some secret mission in her little mind. She was quite the planner too. This was when he grew nervous, just what was this girl planning.

"Don't worry, I've got a plan," she had said which made his soul sink into his body.

She was going to do something so embarrassing; he could already see himself burying his head in sand from embarrassment.

"Just what do you think you're going to do?" he asked.

But she had already stood up and thrown away the ice cream remains into the bin.

"You'll see," she smiled, "Come on already, Denzel can't distract Tifa for long." She walked towards the Fenrir. He stared at the girl and threw the ice cream in the bin, he was in for a rough night, and he could see it already.

They rode back to their home in silence, the girl quietly plotting something in her mind. He could see it in her serious eyes, she had a plan brewing in midst of that innocent in her face.

As he settled the Fenrir to a stop, she jumped off excitedly and ran into the house. He watched her run and slowly began to lock the Fenrir down and step off it. Clasping the box tightly into his pocket he looked at their home and smiled. Maybe tonight he would tell her, just how he felt. With that thought locked securely in his mind, he walked into their house.

Entering the bar he saw their friends sprawled out across the whole bar, with some on one table and another on various others. They were talking, and waiting for her to come home to her surprise. He had planned this, Denzel would take Tifa down to groceries to buy some food for him to cook tonight, and he and Marlene would go to the jewellery store, while their friends arrived quietly into the bar. Then just as she returns with Denzel, they would yell surprise and she would get the birthday she deserved.

He sat down next to Vincent and stared anxiously at the door, she would be home any minute now. The vampire kept silent as he too waited her arrival.

"She's back," Marlene gasped and immediately the room fell silent.

The click of the door made their lips part, then as she swung the door open he caught her eyes, and everyone yelled surprise. Her eyes locked with his, as if silently knowing that he had planned this. She gave him a small smile and walked in to greet their friends.

They all happily gave her presents and she placed them on the table. He sat quietly at the corner, watching as even Vincent stood up and walked over to her. Denzel stood next to Cloud and both of them stared at the scene before them. He turned to the child and messed the boys hair up.

"Good work Denzel," he said and smiled.

The boy smiled back. "It was hard to make her stay at the supermarket so long, she wanted to come home, but I insisted on wanting to buy lollies," he laughed.

Cloud laughed with him and turned his eyes back to her. She was so happy, so exited by all her friends being there. Then just when he least expected she turned her eyes to him as she listened to Yuffie talking. The ninja was to busy talking that she didn't realize that the woman before her was in fact glancing towards him.

She smiled to him happily and he smiled in return. He blinked away and stood up.

"Denzel, want to help me make dinner," he asked the boy.

The boy nodded and followed the man into the kitchen. He could feel her eyes tracing his every move, but he knew this was her time to spend with their friends. He would get to spend some time with her a little later.

After several minutes, she came walking into the kitchen. She bent down and whispered something into Denzel's ears, the boy smiled and ran off.

She walked up next to him and touched his hand.

"I knew you planned that surprise, thank you," she said softly and looked into the pan filled with that famous stir fry she had grown to love so much.

He smiled and turned to her, "You're welcome," he said softly.

"I didn't expect to come home to a surprise like this," she said and leaned back against the table as he cooked.

He turned his eyes to her and said, "I know, but I thought you deserved it, and Denzel and Marlene thought it was a good idea for a change."

She stepped forward and threw her arms around him, holding him close. "Thank you, Cloud," she smiled.

As she drew back he held her close, not letting her go.

"Tifa," he sighed. This was the moment he should tell her, but strangely enough, no words escaped his lips, he could only stare at her with awe.

She placed her arms at his chest and stared up at him with that same gentleness in her eyes. Smiling she placed her hands on either side of his cheek and brushed his cheek with her thumbs. Her smile faded as she stared into his eyes seriously yet happily at the same time. He stared down at her then leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss upon her lips. Drawing back with the taste of her lips still lingering on his lips he rested his forehead against hers and let out a long sigh.

"Tifa, I-"

She touched a finger at his lips. "I know, Cloud," she said softly with a smile.

"But.."

"Marlene told me," she replied.

He smiled and shook his head. "I knew she was going to do that," he said and turned towards the sizzling stir fry. Wondering just what the girl had told the woman.

With one hand he switched off the fire and pushed the pan onto the cooler stove. His other hand held her still, and together they each lend a hand and together they placed the stir fry onto a plate. Laughing together a little girl stood looking into the kitchen to see the two together. Her plan had worked just as she had expected.

Later that evening, as they ate dinner, he sent several smiles to her as they ate. She returned the smiles and even went so far as to rest her hand on his lap under the table. He smiled to her and laced their hands together.

And slowly, one by one they finished dinner, and eventually went back to their homes. They each gave her a hug, and told Cloud that she was waiting for him and little did they know that the couple already were together. They only smiled and waved goodbye to their friends.

Marlene and Denzel began cleaning the bar as Cloud held Tifa stood inside the kitchen. He looked down at her, and kissed her again. Smiling as he kissed her, and held her close in his arms.

_  
I found you and now I know  
That I will never let you go_


End file.
